KCCI's Ryan Smith is in Missouri Thursday to bring you the latest information into the death of an Iowa man who was handcuffed when he drown last May.View videoThe jury deciding if charges should be filed in the case announced Thursday afternoon that "no charges" would be filed. They ruled the case an accidental drowning. The medical examiner said he agrees with the decision."Personally, I think they made the right call reading everything," said M.B. Jones, the Morgan County, Mo., county coroner.The decision follows numerous witnesses testifying in the case Thursday morning and a trip to see the boat where Brandon Ellingson was held just before the drowning.After the announcement, Ellingson's family said this is "a sad day for Brandon."JURY, FAMILY VISITS BOAT:The jury investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Brandon Ellingson was taken Thursday afternoon to the boat where Ellingson was held after his arrest. Ellingson later fell or jumped out of the boat and drowned.Craig Ellingson, Brandon's father, got into the boat and sat in the same place his son had sat just moments before his death."It's a pretty defenseless way to feel. I'm just sad that he's not here today -- such a good kid," said Craig Ellingson."He should be reprimanded heavily, probably lose his job. But he's got to live with that, he killed my son," said Craig Ellingson.TROOPER INVOLVED TAKES STAND:Trooper Anthony Piercy took the witness stand Thursday morning. He broke down several times while telling the jury what happened when Brandon Ellingson was arrested and later fell or jumped out of the boat, and his attempts to save Ellingson.Piercy said this has impacted his life very hard personally and professionally.Piercy got emotional when he took the stand and recounting the final moments he saw Ellingson alive."There's a lot of things I'd like to do differently that day," said Piercy. "I wish I would have used the different life jacket."He said he wished the cameras on the boat had been working.Piercy said after a big wave hit the boat, Ellingson jumped or was knocked out. The jury was allowed to look at and hold the life jacket Ellingson had been wearing.Piercy told the jury how he tried to rescue and had a hold of Ellingson. He said he went underwater with him at one point trying to get a rip cord pulled on a life vest.Piercy admitted that he did not know the differences between the types of life vests and just grabbed one to use on Ellingson during the arrest.Some jurors questioned if the trooper received enough training for water patrol. Piercy admitted he received no formal training in how to place a handcuffed suspect in a life vest."The jacket he did put on him, he didn't even know it had straps on it that go between the legs. If he just would have done that on that type 3 jacket, he'd still be with us probably," said Craig Ellingson."Clearly Trooper Piercy says that he lacked a lot of training and he thinks he should still be trained," said Matt Boles, Ellingson family attorney. Boles told KCCI's Ryan Smith that the trooper's testimony was "very well scripted."SECOND WITNESS:Capt. James Vasquez was called as the second witness in the inquest. He is a Coast Guard master captain who owns a party boat on the lake where Ellingson drowned.Vasquez said he was about 100 yards from the patrol boat with Ellingson and had 25 women aboard his boat at the time of the incident.He said he saw the life vest separate from Ellingson. He said the vest was never fully on his body.Vasquez said he threw a ring in to help. He said a hook with pole was tried to snag Ellingson and then Piercy jumped into the water. Ellingson slipped through Piercy's arms -- he couldn't keep a hold of him, said Vasquez."He was doing everything he could to save him," said Vasquez. Piercy was exhausted after trying to save him, Vasquez said.At some point, the jury is expected to leave the courthouse and see the boat in person.FIRST WITNESS:The first witness called in the inquest was a Missouri State Patrol criminal investigator. Cpl. Eric Stacks said Trooper Anthony Piercy jumped into water to try to save Brandon Ellingson, 20, but was unsuccessful.A dive team was called to the scene but couldn't locate Ellingson. Sonar was used to find him the next day.Stacks said a buttoned vest was forced onto Ellingson and around his torso.He said a camera on the boat was working, but was not loaded with a memory card. He said Piercy knew no card was in the camera, but continued out on patrol that day without one.The jury looking into the case was shown a diagram of the boat, aerial photo of the lake and also looked at the life jacket used on Ellingson.When the jury was shown an autopsy photo, some of Ellingson's family the courtroom broke down.The investigator said alcohol and trace of cocaine were found in tests conducted on Ellington's blood. He was carrying an Illinois driver's license and showed his passport to Piercy too.CASE BACKGROUND:The inquest is a very rare process in the state of Missouri. A coroner's inquest can be called when the cause of death is in question or is of high public interest. Six jurors, picked at random, will recommend if charges should be filed.The circumstances surrounding Ellingson's death have been in question since May 31, the day he went overboard while on a police patrol boat. Ellingson and a few friends were spending the weekend on the Lake of the Ozarks.Trooper Anthony Piercy arrested the 20-year-old Iowan and placed him in handcuffs minutes before he drowned. He was wearing a life vest, but it reportedly came off when Ellingson hit the water.Matt Boles is the attorney for the Ellingson family."We're hoping that the truth comes out. We're not optimistic about it," said Boles.The intent with the inquest is to allow an independent review of Ellingson's death. The jury will likely hear about the type of life vest used and how it was put on.Some say Piercy used the wrong life jacket for a handcuffed suspect.According to Boles, the recently released death investigation report also indicates Piercy sped away, traveling faster than 40 mph with Ellingson handcuffed in the back of the patrol boat."Based upon conditions such as the chop and the direction of any wakes and anything else, that's a boat going more than 70 miles an hour if it was on land," said Boles.Boles hopes the coroner's inquest will expose if Ellingson's death was due to negligence by Piercy."Brandon's family wants answers. They want to know why their son died in police custody," said Boles.

MORGAN COUNTY, Missouri —

KCCI's Ryan Smith is in Missouri Thursday to bring you the latest information into the death of an Iowa man who was handcuffed when he drown last May.

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The jury deciding if charges should be filed in the case announced Thursday afternoon that "no charges" would be filed. They ruled the case an accidental drowning. The medical examiner said he agrees with the decision.

"Personally, I think they made the right call reading everything," said M.B. Jones, the Morgan County, Mo., county coroner.

The decision follows numerous witnesses testifying in the case Thursday morning and a trip to see the boat where Brandon Ellingson was held just before the drowning.

After the announcement, Ellingson's family said this is "a sad day for Brandon."

JURY, FAMILY VISITS BOAT:

The jury investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Brandon Ellingson was taken Thursday afternoon to the boat where Ellingson was held after his arrest. Ellingson later fell or jumped out of the boat and drowned.

Craig Ellingson, Brandon's father, got into the boat and sat in the same place his son had sat just moments before his death.

"It's a pretty defenseless way to feel. I'm just sad that he's not here today -- such a good kid," said Craig Ellingson.

"He should be reprimanded heavily, probably lose his job. But he's got to live with that, he killed my son," said Craig Ellingson.

TROOPER INVOLVED TAKES STAND:

Trooper Anthony Piercy took the witness stand Thursday morning. He broke down several times while telling the jury what happened when Brandon Ellingson was arrested and later fell or jumped out of the boat, and his attempts to save Ellingson.

Piercy said this has impacted his life very hard personally and professionally.

Piercy got emotional when he took the stand and recounting the final moments he saw Ellingson alive.

"There's a lot of things I'd like to do differently that day," said Piercy. "I wish I would have used the different life jacket."

He said he wished the cameras on the boat had been working.

Piercy said after a big wave hit the boat, Ellingson jumped or was knocked out. The jury was allowed to look at and hold the life jacket Ellingson had been wearing.

Piercy told the jury how he tried to rescue and had a hold of Ellingson. He said he went underwater with him at one point trying to get a rip cord pulled on a life vest.

Piercy admitted that he did not know the differences between the types of life vests and just grabbed one to use on Ellingson during the arrest.

Some jurors questioned if the trooper received enough training for water patrol. Piercy admitted he received no formal training in how to place a handcuffed suspect in a life vest.

"The jacket he did put on him, he didn't even know it had straps on it that go between the legs. If he just would have done that on that type 3 jacket, he'd still be with us probably," said Craig Ellingson.

"Clearly Trooper Piercy says that he lacked a lot of training and he thinks he should still be trained," said Matt Boles, Ellingson family attorney. Boles told KCCI's Ryan Smith that the trooper's testimony was "very well scripted."

SECOND WITNESS:

Capt. James Vasquez was called as the second witness in the inquest. He is a Coast Guard master captain who owns a party boat on the lake where Ellingson drowned.

Vasquez said he was about 100 yards from the patrol boat with Ellingson and had 25 women aboard his boat at the time of the incident.

He said he saw the life vest separate from Ellingson. He said the vest was never fully on his body.

Vasquez said he threw a ring in to help. He said a hook with pole was tried to snag Ellingson and then Piercy jumped into the water. Ellingson slipped through Piercy's arms -- he couldn't keep a hold of him, said Vasquez.

"He was doing everything he could to save him," said Vasquez. Piercy was exhausted after trying to save him, Vasquez said.

At some point, the jury is expected to leave the courthouse and see the boat in person.

FIRST WITNESS:

The first witness called in the inquest was a Missouri State Patrol criminal investigator. Cpl. Eric Stacks said Trooper Anthony Piercy jumped into water to try to save Brandon Ellingson, 20, but was unsuccessful.

A dive team was called to the scene but couldn't locate Ellingson. Sonar was used to find him the next day.

Stacks said a buttoned vest was forced onto Ellingson and around his torso.

He said a camera on the boat was working, but was not loaded with a memory card. He said Piercy knew no card was in the camera, but continued out on patrol that day without one.

The jury looking into the case was shown a diagram of the boat, aerial photo of the lake and also looked at the life jacket used on Ellingson.

When the jury was shown an autopsy photo, some of Ellingson's family the courtroom broke down.

The investigator said alcohol and trace of cocaine were found in tests conducted on Ellington's blood. He was carrying an Illinois driver's license and showed his passport to Piercy too.

CASE BACKGROUND:

The inquest is a very rare process in the state of Missouri. A coroner's inquest can be called when the cause of death is in question or is of high public interest. Six jurors, picked at random, will recommend if charges should be filed.

The circumstances surrounding Ellingson's death have been in question since May 31, the day he went overboard while on a police patrol boat. Ellingson and a few friends were spending the weekend on the Lake of the Ozarks.

Trooper Anthony Piercy arrested the 20-year-old Iowan and placed him in handcuffs minutes before he drowned. He was wearing a life vest, but it reportedly came off when Ellingson hit the water.

Matt Boles is the attorney for the Ellingson family.

"We're hoping that the truth comes out. We're not optimistic about it," said Boles.

The intent with the inquest is to allow an independent review of Ellingson's death. The jury will likely hear about the type of life vest used and how it was put on.

Some say Piercy used the wrong life jacket for a handcuffed suspect.

According to Boles, the recently released death investigation report also indicates Piercy sped away, traveling faster than 40 mph with Ellingson handcuffed in the back of the patrol boat.

"Based upon conditions such as the chop and the direction of any wakes and anything else, that's a boat going more than 70 miles an hour if it was on land," said Boles.

Boles hopes the coroner's inquest will expose if Ellingson's death was due to negligence by Piercy.

"Brandon's family wants answers. They want to know why their son died in police custody," said Boles.